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Corporate lawyers in London & Thames Valley

Our corporate lawyers provide strategic commercial advice on corporate issues and mergers & acquisitions from start-ups and SMEs to multinational corporations, to maximise value and manage risk.

We can support you in acquisitions, fundraising, re-organisations,  buying and selling businesses, buy ins, buy outs and exits, including Employee Ownership Trusts. Our corporate law team can quickly get to grips with the key issues and delivering on key objectives.  

Our clients benefit from our extensive experience in acting for start-ups and early-stage companies along with well-established national and international businesses. 

They are always readily available and respond very quickly to queries. Always happy to go the extra mile whatever the situation and can be contacted at all times.

Legal 500

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Read, listen and watch our latest insights

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  • 07 February 2020
  • Corporate and M&A

Investor Relief

The Finance Act 2016 introduced investor relief which is essentially a tax relief for Capital Gains in a similar way to the operation of Entrepreneurs Relief. On qualification any capital gain is reduced from the usual capital gains rate – currently 20% to 10%.

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  • 07 February 2020
  • Corporate and M&A

What does the new decade herald for EMI Option Schemes?

The Enterprise Management Initiative (EMI) option scheme is a tax efficient incentive scheme designed to incentivise employees by enjoying the rewards of growth and business success usually on a sale

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  • 07 February 2020
  • Corporate and M&A

Director’s Duties Can Survive Insolvency Process

In the recent high court case Re Systems Building Services Group Ltd , there was considerable debate and judgement made on whether a director’s general duties, as outlined in section 171 to 177 of the Companies Act 2006, survive a company’s entry into a formal insolvency process.

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  • 14 January 2020
  • Corporate and M&A

Lending money to Directors

It is not unusual for a Company to lend money to a director of a Company, nor is it unlawful. However, there are a number of points to consider, including declarations of interest and how this sits with the constitution of the Company and a directors’ statutory duties generally and also the treatment of the loan from a tax perspective – not only for the director but the Company too.

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  • 14 January 2020
  • Corporate and M&A

Removing a Director under the Companies Act

The Companies Act 2006 contains a right for members of the Company to seek the removal of a director from office by convening a general meeting of its members and passing an ordinary resolution. This provision is seen as sacrosanct in the Companies Act 2006 – any attempt to exclude this right in the Companies articles of association would be unenforceable.

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  • 14 January 2020
  • Corporate and M&A

Share buybacks and payments

The concept of share buybacks is a useful one. The ability for a company to buy back its own shares is seen as a useful tool for capital re-organisations and a tax efficient way in which to remove a shareholder or class of shareholders.

“We are very pleased with the support and advice received from on the recent acquisition by BMW Group UK.  With clear, concise and timely advice and management, Ashan and his team helped us navigate through some complex arrangements and seamlessly bridged the gap between the legal and commercial issues”

Amit Kotecha, Senior Legal Counsel – BMW Legal Affairs UK & Ireland 

“I was impressed with the speed, turnaround and frequency of communication in my dealings with Stuart Mullins, in concluding my share purchase.”

Nigel Keene, Managing Director, Whiteknights Estate Agents

Ashan Arif is central to our working relationship – we have a high degree of trust and confidence in his work. He was interested in our business from the outset, clear about the firm’s capability and focus, and has provided high-value and cost-effective support.

Legal 500

“Stuart and the rest of the team provided expert support during a recent corporate restructuring. We were calmly guided through the complex legal process, and realised significant additional benefits directly related to the advice provided.”

Stefan Zabel, Director, Wood Designer Ltd

“I highly recommend Clarkslegal for their outstanding expertise in M&A transactions and general corporate/commercial work. With a stellar reputation in the legal industry, Clarkslegal has demonstrated a deep understanding of complex mergers and acquisitions, offering invaluable guidance to clients navigating intricate deal structures.”

Jeff Lewis, General Counsel & Director, Kinectrics Inc

“I had an excellent experience working with Stuart Mullins. He was thoughtful, pragmatic, and extremely efficient. Thank you very much for all your hard work to get the deal across the line.”

Jerry Izard, Director, Independent Optics Ltd

“We would recommend Clarkslegal as a leading corporate legal advisor in UK M&A due to their ability to work under a closed budget while keeping the highest professional standards and delivering a top professional advise under total availability, impressive technical-legal know-how and capacity to focus on the key matters at stake.”

Santiago Corredoira-Jack , Partner, Granahan McCourt Capital

“Stuart Mullins was great at understanding what my needs were and responded in a timely manner every time. It was great to talk to someone who understood our situation and moved my transaction to completion efficiently and diligently. I really appreciated the extent to which Stuart explained everything to me regarding the transaction agreement, which gave me so much confidence when speaking to the purchaser”.

Jan Tupper, Proprietor, Arniss Equestrian Ltd